Shattering
by Ka-tay's mind
Summary: She wasn't Leila- even though she was the splitting image of the graceful, talented Celestial Spirit Mage, she wasn't her. She was a brat, and she hated her, so why were tears falling down her face? Why did her insides feel like they were shattering into fragments? - Lucy x Aquarius ONESHOT.


Shattering by Katay's Mind

Disclaimer: Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima, based on Chapter 384.

* * *

She wasn't Leila- even though she was the splitting image of the graceful, talented Celestial Spirit Mage, she wasn't her. She was a brat, and she hated her, so why were tears falling down her face? Why did her insides feel like they were shattering into fragments? - Lucy x Aquarius ONESHOT.

* * *

"Idiot," She grunted, her voice silky and melodious towards everyone's ears.

Lucy Heartfilia beamed back regardless of the name, wincing slightly at Aquarius's sudden grip on her. "You came…My-"

"Stay back, girl." Aquarius snapped, interrupting the Celestial Spirit Mage as she summoned water from her urn, swiping away the Demons with the rush of a current. Her pride deflated, however, when Torafusa sliced through her water like it was nothing.

He snickered upon seeing the startled look on the siren's face, "Water is my field of expertise."

The blue haired Celestial Spirit could only register that the demon of Tartarus was coming in too fast for her to dodge before she pushed the girl she was protecting to the side, receiving the full blow from Torafusa. It felt weird: the pain only came a second later, right when she crashed onto the ground. She gritted her teeth, her pride keeping her from screaming out in pain.

"AQUARIUS!"

"SHIT!" Leo and Virgo cursed in unison, surfing towards her before getting intercepted by Jackal. Both Spirits faced the same destiny by getting blasted head-on. It sounded rather distant, but Aquarius heard their voices, so she assumed her friends were alright- or alright enough to be talking to say the least.

The Water Bearer let out a hiss, using her left hand to hold tightly onto her right shoulder. She was bleeding profusely, which was never good.

Forcing one of her cerulean coloured eyes open, she cursed mentally as she witnessed Lucy collapsing onto the ground, fatigue taking over her body. It was a miracle she hasn't passed out yet with 3 Golden Key Gates open.

Aquarius had to make sure she didn't.

"What, summoning the 3 of 'em was her trump card?" Jackal sniggered. "She probably can't move anymore 'cause she used too much magic."

"I'll kill her with one blow." Torafusa stated blandly, making his way towards the blonde mage. However, the Demon was stopped by Jackal who held up a hand.

"Isn't that boring?"

"Yeah, we should torture her more!", 'What a sadist,' Aquarius noted. "But I want to get the prize!" Lamy drawled on.

'Where's Leo and Virgo? That idiot can't go on much longer with 3 gates open,' From the corner of her eyes, she noticed the small movement Lucy was making at an attempt to get up. 'Stubborn girl, think before you do anything!'

The explosion took both Celesital Mage and Spirit by surprise; when the smoke cleared, the crimson blood of Lucy splattered all across her left calf.

Unlike Aquarius, who managed to stay silent after the attack, Lucy was biting her lips to hold back her cries. Tears began forming at the corner of her warm eyes, and something in Aquarius's heart tugged. 'U-Useless girl, what are you doing? Stand up and fight back!' Aquarius mentally screamed.

The Demons cackled maniacally, with a comment from Lamy that the girl looked pathetic.

"Cut it out. If you don't kill her, I will." Torafusa broke in, causing the grin on Jackal's face to drop. The next part of the conversation she didn't hear, but from the sound of footsteps going away, Torafusa had left the area. 'Perfect,'

When she had managed to stand up straight, she could just see Lamy getting blasted the same way Leo and Virgo had. Lucy muttered something too soft for her to hear but Jackal had heard it loud and clear, turning his attention back to the beaten up Mage.

"You should worry about what's going to happen to you next. Let's have fun," He snickered, jeering down at the girl.

'I won't allow it.'

The water churned out of the urn and pushed Jackal away like a tidal wave, sparing Lucy who Aquarius had grabbed once more.

"What?! This water…!"

"Aquarius…" The usual bubbly voice croaked, gaining her attention for the moment. She glanced down at the girl- Leila's girl- in her arm for only a second before deciding on her actions, something she never thought she'd do.

"Lucy, I can only stop him, same for the other Spirits. They're too strong," Aquarius admitted, barely hearing Lucy's agreement. "But we still have a chance at winning," The Spirit declared, her voice confident.

"Eh?"

Taking a deep breath, Aquarius began. "I can only block him for a while, so listen, Lucy. If you can open 3 gates at the same times, then I'm sure you can do it- summon the Celestial Spirit King."

"…The Sprit King?" Lucy gasped, already regaining her breath. 'She's unlike you, and like you in so many ways, Leila. Strong, brave, stubborn too.' Aquarius chuckled to herself softly before returning to her usual manner. "As you know, he's the strongest among Spirits. His attack of the stars can annihilate the enemy."

"But I don't have the key," Lucy sighed, despair lacing her hoarse voice.

"There is nothing "physical" to summon him- only a certain special key can open his gate." The Water Bearer bit down on her tongue, 'I can't protect her much longer, Leila, but to stop the current enemy, this is the only way.'

"Substitution Summoning Technique: by breaking one of the Gold Keys you can open the Gate of the Spirit King once."

The girl's reaction was just as Aquarius had expected: surprise, confusion, and utter disbelief. "Breaking…a Gold Key?"

A little away, Jackal's voice flowed towards them. 'I can't hold him back much longer.'

"It won't work with just any key. If there isn't a strong mutual trust between the owner and the Spirit, the Gate won't open." She hastily explained.

"I can't do something like that…No! They're all important, I don't want to lose any of-"

"Break my key. " 'I've delayed in fulfilling my promise, Leila, so now's the time.'

* * *

**FLASHBACK**

"Capricorn made a contract with you then?" Aquarius knew that she sounded harsh but this was completely unfair.

Leila Heartfilia smiled, the warm, caring smile that the Celestial Spirit had gotten used to over the years of serving under her. "He did, and please Aquarius, don't be mad."

Aquarius hung her head, knowing that she was defeated in this argument. Leila turned, noting her Celestial Spirit's unusual mood. Biting her lip, Leila drew in a deep breath. "Aquarius?"

"Yes?" The Water Bearer looked up, hope glistening in her eyes.

"Please, look after Lucy when I'm-"

"Don't." Aquarius snapped, her cerulean eyes blazing. "Don't finish that sentence, Leila. Not the way I know you will finish it." She hung her head and her voice trembled, and she prayed with all her might that Leila didn't notice. Unfortunately it would appear that she did.

Nimble hands that once controlled her Key so professionally grasped her pale ones, causing Aquarius to meet the warm brown eyes of the blonde lady.

"Then I'll rephrase it. Please look after Lucy for me, Aquarius, my dear friend. I know that you may find it…troubling, but please, I know I can trust you with this."

The Water Bearer was about to retort, anything but caring for the child! Surely Capricorn or Cancer can do that job well enough!

But…it _was _a request from Leila herself.

A moment of hesitation before her reply came, "I'll protect her with my life. I swear it on my Key."

Leila flashed her a huge smile before pulling the Water Bearer into a big hug. "Thank you, Aquarius."

'Anything for you, Leila. Anything.'

* * *

**PRESENT**

"I'm not sure about trust, but we've been together for a long time, I'm sure it'll work." 'It will, it has to.'

Even with her back towards Lucy, Aquarius could hear the crack in her voice. "What…are you saying?" She sounded as though she was in a trance, and who could blame her, after all?

A sad smirk curved against Aquarius' lips. "It's to save your friends."

That seemed to bring Lucy back from her trance since she became shouting. "You're my friend too! I can't sacrifice someone to save others! There must be another way…I won't give up!"

'She's too much like you, Leila. It's both an insult and a compliment.'

"I wouldn't suggest you do if there was any other way." The Spirit stated blandly, sweat trickling down her face as she struggled to save more time.

"No…no…"

"It's the only way."

"No…I don't want to!" Lucy was crying now, hot tears streaming down that exact replica of a face of Leila. Leila barely cried, unlike the girl behind Aquarius. Leila was strong, and so was Lucy.

She had to do this.

Jackal had surfaced from the water some distance away; they were wasting too much time. "Lucy, there's no time. My power is..."

"No…" Lucy kept repeating, her voice already shaking immensely.

'Would you be like this if you were in this situation, Leila?'

"I won't die if you break my key, we just won't be able to meet again."

"I don't want that…" Lucy cried, her voice small.

"I'm actually looking forward to it." A smirk curved against her lips. Jackal was making his way towards them fast, but there was enough time.

"I was the Spirit of your mother Leila. When she died and I was handed to you, I was really disappointed. You cry often, you're a brat, you don't know how to world works, you're not as graceful as Leila. I only endured it because you're Leila's daughter." Aquarius didn't know when her voice cracked, but she was fairly sure that no one noticed over the sound of rushing water. 'And because of the promise. Here goes nothing,'

"But actually, I've been hating you the whole time."

"I don't care if you hate me! I like you…you're my first friend! My-" Lucy burst out, sobbing, and Aquarius had to hold back her collecting tears. Forcing her voice to be harsh, she snapped at the girl halfway through.

"Stop relying on others! Only you can save your friends now! What's important?! Memories, Keys, feelings of guilt?! I don't think so! It's the power to save your friends- the power of a Celestial Wizard!

Lucy's sobs were louder now as she made no attempt to hide it – as much as she would like to deny it, Lucy knew that Aquarius was right. The very sight of this was breaking the Celestial Water Bearer Spirit's heart.

"Do it! Break my Key! Only you can do it now!"

Jackal laughed as he neared them, "Quarreling? You're in my shooting range now!"

Lucy stiffened her sobs into sniffles, her voice small but Aquarius heard her crystal clear.

"I like you, Aquarius…"

"DO IT!" She screamed, her back still turned on the sobbing girl. Was she, the prideful Aquarius, crying? Why was water flowing down her cheeks? "LUCY!"

Her breathing was loud as she tried to regain her breath once more, her sobs popping out occasionally as her dainty fingers clung furiously onto the beautifully crafted Gold Key that Leila Heartfilia had once used proudly before passing it over to her daughter.

'My chest feels warm…Even though I hate this girl…' Aquarius shook her head and rubbed her stray tear away. 'Forgive me, Leila, for I can no longer protect her.'

"OPEN…"

'Even though I hate her…'

"…GATE OF THE…"

'I can't stop… these emotions…It's sad that we won't meet again…Lucy…'

"…SPIRIT KING!"

Aquarius turned, fresh tears forming around her cerulean blue eyes, her insides felt shattered, more specifically, it was her heart that couldn't bear with it anymore. Her gaze soft as she gazed at the broken girl, 'Thank you…for everything.'

Aquarius's voice was silky in Lucy's mind as the bright flash of white light surrounded her, and her heart hurt. It felt heavy, like some invisible weight was pushing against it. It hurt so much she felt like she was shattering by hearing those words.

'I like you too, Lucy.'

The Gold Key of the Water Bearer shattered.

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A/N: And done! Reviews on your thoughts please! This was suppose to be based as a songfic, but I couldn't choose between Daughtry's I'll Fight or Daughtry's Baptized. Oh well, hope you guys liked it regardless!


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